Butterfly Fly Away
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: AU. When an unseen force takes Rose away from Jake, he must take care of Emily on his own. It's his love and devotion for his little girl that gives him the strength to go on without Rose. But will it be enough? R/R


DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the chars from ADJL. They belong to Disney. I do however own Emily and the angel, Joy.

God loves you

Enjoy!

A/N: This story came to me while listening to the song it's named after. Also, this only follows Me and Emily or could, so that means Anna isn't in it. I just didn't want anyone who has read ORTMT to get confused.

"Butterfly Fly Away"

Jake sighed as he gazed down at his eight-year-old daughter, Emily Rose Long. He loved her so much and he would do anything for her.

As the little girl tried to get to sleep, Jake planted a kiss on her cheek before putting a hand through her strawberry blond hair.

"Don't worry, baby. Daddy's right here. I'll protect you now. I promise. I love you, Em." With that, he sat there and watched her sleep for a few minutes.

A few minutes turned into a few hours. Before Jake knew it, Haley was waking him up.

Jake knew he wasn't going to school and he certainly wasn't sending Emily. At least not today. It was too soon.

Rose hadn't been gone more than forty-eight hours and the child wasn't ready to go back.

Jake knew Emily would be okay in time. She was resilient like that. Even so, he still worried about her growing up without her Mama.

She and Rose were so close and now she was gone.

Even though Jake knew Emily loved him, he knew she had been closer to her mother.

The cancer had been sudden and unexpected, just like every other unpleasant thing that happened in their lives.

But unlike the Huntsman, the Huntsclan or even the monsters and goblins that showed up on a daily basis, cancer was something Jake couldn't use his dragon powers to fix.

He had known the cancer might take Rose away from him, but he wasn't prepared for just how much it would hit him until it happened.

Joy had spent a few extra days with Jake and Emily, trying to help wherever she could.

But not even the comforting presence of the Irish angel could heal the ache in Jake's heart and the longing in Emily's eyes to have her Mama back.

The night after Rose's funeral, Emily awoke crying and shaking. She yelled for Jake, but as Jake held her, he knew who she really wanted.

He had spent the next hour comforting her as best he could.

Once she was asleep, he stayed with her for a little while, just to make sure she would be okay.

It wasn't until two hours later that Jake thought he heard a noise in the hallway.

Getting out of bed, he transformed into a dragon and scoped out the scene.

He had promised Rose he would take care of Emily and he wasn't about to break that promise.

"Eye of the dragon. " He muttered.

Flying into the hallway, Jake watched for several minutes before realizing the sound was just their cat, Sagwa. She had jumped down from the counter after getting a midnight snack and was heading back to Emily's room.

Jake followed her, wanting to make sure his little girl was all right.

When he got there, Jake powered down and went over to check on the eight-year-old.

She was sleeping soundly for the moment. She had her Tinkerbell doll clutched in her arms. Her Princess Jasmine one was lying beside her.

Jake smoothed a few strands of Emily's hair away from her face before tucking the covers around her.

"It's okay, Em. You're safe. Daddy's right here. We're gonna be okay. I love you." With that, he kissed her before leaving the room.

"Daddy?" Emily said one morning at breakfast. It had been a few weeks since Rose had gone to be with the Father and the child was slowly healing. She missed her Mama terribly, there was no doubt about that. But she was trying her best to be happy again.

"Yes, baby?" Jake replied. He looked up from the half soggy bowl of cereal he had been eating.

"Can I go to Sara's sleepover, please?"

"Sure, Em. I just need to talk to Sara's Mommy first."

"Thanks."

She flashed him one of her famous smiles.

Jake couldn't help it. He smiled back. His little girl was something else.

'His little girl. It was strange to think of Emily as just his now. She had always been his and Rose's child.

'Things change. Jake reminded himself as he helped Emily get ready for school.

Jake pulled up to Sara's house a few hours later with a very happy Emily in the back seat. He enjoyed seeing her smile. She didn't smile too often anymore and it was nice to see her face light up.

"Now make sure you listen to Sara's Mommy and be careful." Jake instructed. "I love you, Em."

"I will." Emily promised. "I love you too, Daddy." With that, the two hugged before pulling away a minute or so later.

Jake watched Emily run up the stairs of the house. He waited until she had been met by Sara and her mother and was safely inside before driving off.

Just as the door opened, Emily turned around and gave her father a smile while making a thumbs up sign. She then signed two things before going inside.

Jake grinned as he signed back.

"You're welcome, baby. I Love you too."

Three years later….

"I hate school!"

Jake looked up from the book he had been reading just in time to see Emily storm into the house and up to her room.

The slamming of her door had told Jake she had reached her destination.

Heaving a sigh, he decided to give his daughter a few minutes alone before going to see what was wrong.

He had a feeling he knew what had happened and it broke his heart.

Every year the kids had an annual picnic for Mother's day.

Rose had taken Emily ever since she had first enrolled in school back when she was five.

Shaking his head, Jake sent a silent prayer up to God. He needed His help more than ever.

Making his way to Emily's room, Jake took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Go away!" Emily cried tearfully.

"I can't do that." Jake replied as he opened the door. He was sitting on the edge of the bed by now.

Reaching his hand out to stroke Emily's hair, he was surprised when she jerked away.

"I said leave me alone!" The ten-year-old cried desperately. "Please!"

"Em, I want to help." Jake insisted gently.

"Well you can't!" Emily shot back.

Those words alone stunned Jake's heart. He had always been able to help her before. What had changed?

"Jake," a familiar Irish lilt addressed from somewhere in back of him. "Jake, let me talk to her."

Jake looked up to see Joy standing there.

"What did I do?" He asked. "Em's never told me to leave her alone before."

"Jake, please." Joy said. "Let' me see what I can do."

Jake sighed, but reluctantly got off the bed. He told Emily he loved her before leaving the room.

He stood just outside the door, waiting for the right time to join them again.

"Emily," Joy started. Her voice was full of nothing but compassion and sympathy for the little girl in front of her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Emily gazed up at her aunt, the one person who was the closest connection to Rose that she had at the moment.

In the instant brown eyes met blue, Emily broke down while telling Joy what was going on.

"I miss Mommy!" Emily admitted. "The kids at school teased me because she's in Heaven now! It's because of that stupid picnic! It's not fair!"

"I know, sweetheart, I know." Joy assured her while pulling her close. "I know you miss your Mommy. She misses you too."

Emily glanced up at her aunt just then.

"She does?"

"Aye, she does. She misses you so much. In fact, she told me the next time I see you to give you something from her."

"What?" Emily asked. She was starting to calm down a little bit.

"This." Joy answered. With that, she wrapped Emily in a hug and held on tightly for a minute or two.

"Daddy doesn't understand!" Emily cried into Joy's shoulder. "He doesn't know what it's like! He still has his Mommy."

"I know." Joy told her. "But that doesn't mean he doesn't miss Rose too. He loved her very much. He still does."

"Then why doesn't he talk about her? Why doesn't he take me to see her? You always take me. Why doesn't he ever go too! Why!"

Emily was shaking by now, her tears anew.

"Emily, sweetheart, listen to me very carefully." Joy instructed kindly. "Your Daddy misses your Mommy too. And the reason he doesn't go with us to the cemetery is because it hurts too much."

"I hurt too!" Emily told her. "But I still go. Daddy just doesn't care!"

"That's not true." Joy said. "I promise you, it's not true."

Emily was inconsolable at this point. She had been holding in her emotions for six hours and now they were coming out thick and fast.

Seeing she wasn't going to get anything more out of Emily for the time being, Joy just held her and encouraged her to cry it out. She assured her niece she was there and she wasn't going anywhere until she said it was okay.

Finally, two hours later, Emily had cried herself out and Joy had tucked her in bed.

The Irish angel met Jake in the kitchen.

"Is Emily okay?" He asked the minute he saw her.

"She will be." Joy assured him. "She's in a lot of pain, Jake. She needs you now. You need to keep the promise you made to Rose the day….I know it's hard, but you need to do it."

"What if it's too painful?" Jake asked softly.

"Then that's when you ask God for help. He'll help both of you. But you need to ask Him. you also need to trust Him. Emily has that part down just fine. Now it's time for you to learn. Will you let your little girl teach you?"

Jake nodded.

"Good. I need to go now. But I'll be back to check on you two a wee bit later." With that, she was gone.

Heaving a sigh, Jake went to check on Emily before starting some work he had to do for the next day.

"I love you, Emily. Daddy's so sorry, baby. I never meant to hurt you. I'm gonna try and fix it. I can't promise it will happen over night, but I'm gonna try. Sweet dreams, baby." With a final kiss to her cheek, Jake left the room.

Getting to his own room, he laid down, intending to sleep.

But it was apparent an hour or so later that sleep wasn't coming to him.

As Jake let his brown orbs wander around the room, they rested on a familiar charm laying on his nightstand.

Picking it up, Jake let the cool metal rest against his right palm. He hadn't used it since Rose died. Heck, he hadn't even given it a second thought since the Father had called the love of his life back home.

But there it was, as plain as day.

Shaking his head, Jake went to put it back on the table, but something stopped him.

Slipping it around his wrist, the twenty-one-year-old lay down once again and closed his eyes for the night…

Jake awoke to the sound of someone calling his name.

The voice was painfully familiar and he had longed to hear it for the past few weeks now.

Gazing around at his surroundings, the American Dragon realized he was no longer in his room. He was somewhere else entirely.

The sun was shining and as he looked around, he could see miles of beach and ocean before him.

"Jake!"

There it was again. That familiar voice. This time, it was more insistent.

"Rose?" Jake asked, not daring to believe his eyes or ears. "Is it really you?"  
The blond girl nodded.

Closing the distance between them, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

Jake returned the hug, picking Rose up slightly in the process.

The two shared a kiss before Jake released her a few minutes later.

"Rose, I can't believe it! I didn't think…how did…"

"Come on, dragon boy. Even you know the answer to that one." She said with a smile. "Love transcends all."

Jake nodded. He understood what she was talking about now.

"I miss you so much!" He confessed. He tried to hide the few tears, but they spilled over his cheeks before he could stop them.

"I know you do." Rose told him. "I miss you too, believe me. I miss you and Emily like crazy."

At the mention of their daughter's name, Jake heaved a sigh.

"Rose, I don't know what I'm doing." He admitted. "I mean I love her. I love her more than anything, but I…"

Rose shook her head.

"Jake, you're doing fine. Emily's just a little girl. This is all new for her. And it's hard. It's harder on her because she and I knew each other before she met you. But that doesn't mean she loves you any less. You two will be okay."

Jake nodded uncertainly.

"But what happens if I can't take care of her?"

"That won't happen." Rose assured him. "I know it won't. You're great with her."

"But she told me to leave her alone." Jake told his wife. "She told me I couldn't help her. She's never done that before."

"Jake, think about it. Emily didn't mean to hurt you. I know she didn't. That little girl doesn't have a mean bone in her body. She's confused and scared right now. She's also angry. She'll be fine in the Father's time. But she needs you to help her get there."

"What if she doesn't let me?"

"Oh, she'll let you." Rose said determinedly. "Trust me."

This got Jake to smile a little bit. His Rosebud would never change and he was grateful.

"I love you, Jake. I always will. I love Emily too. Don't let her forget that."

"I won't." Jake promised.

"Good."

The couple spent a little more time together before the dream ended.

Jake awoke with a start the next morning. He closed his eyes against the sun that was streaming into his room. He really didn't want to get up now.

It was then that he remembered the dream he had with Rose and what she had said.

Realizing it had just been a dream, Jake frowned. He then remembered something Rose had promised him just as it was ending.

"You can't lose me that easily. I'll always be with you. And if you ever forget that, just look at Emily. She's a part of me too."

"Emily." Jake said to himself. He had to check on her and straighten things out.

Arriving at her bedroom, Jake found it empty.

His heart beating wildly in his chest, he raced downstairs only to find Emily in the kitchen.

She was setting some pancakes and bacon on a plate for the both of them.

"Morning, Daddy." She said when she noticed him standing there. She gave him a shy smile before walking over to him.

"Morning, Em. Did you sleep all right?" Jake asked.

"Uh-huh." Emily replied.

After a minute, they both spoke at once.

"I'm sorry."

Emily giggled despite herself before allowing her father to continue speaking.

"No." Jake said. "It's my fault, Em. I didn't mean to hurt you. I know you miss Mommy. I miss her too."

"I know." Emily replied. "Aunt Joy talked to me. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I love you, Daddy."

Jake grinned as he embraced his little girl.

"I love you too, baby. Always and forever."

As they were eating their breakfast, Jake told Emily he had a surprise for her.

And as they walked into the cemetery a little while later, each carrying sunflowers, Emily beamed, even though she felt sad.

As Jake watched Emily set the flowers down upon Rose's grave, he gazed Heavenward before speaking softly.

"Well you were right, Rose. I can do this. Emily and I are gonna be fine. Thanks to you. I love you." With that, he set his own flowers down before taking Emily's hand and leading her out of the cemetery.

The day was just beginning and Jake intended to spend it with the precious miracle God had blessed him with.

And as Jake watched Emily take her turn in ski ball, he realized he wouldn't have it any other way.

THE END

A/N: I've been going through a hard time emotionally lately and the story just came out of that. Please be kind when reviewing.

Also, if you want the lyrics to the song this story is named after, you can google it. The song is from Hannah Montana the Movie.


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